Machine for sorting and setting fasteners



June 24, 1930. E. M. @CROSBY 1,767,513

MACHINE FOR SORTING AN D SETTING FASTENERS Filed Dec. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1930. I CRQSBY 1,767,513

MACHINE FOR SORTING AND SETTING FASTENERS Filed Dec. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. E. M. CROSBY MACHINE FOR SORTING AND SETTING FASTE NERS Filed Dec. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 24, 1930. E. M. CROSBY IIACEINE FOR SORTING AND SETTING FASTENERS Filed Dec. 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Java 02".-

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARLE M. CROSBY, 0]! BIRMINGHAM, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE' ASSIGNMENTS,

\ TO UNITED-CARR FASTENER CORPORATION, OF

COREORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A

MACHINE FOR SORTING AND SETTING I FASTENERS Application filed Deceniber This invention relates to machines for handling metallic fasteners, and more especially to machines adapted to set or drive snap fasteners or parts of such fasteners. The invention will be herein disclosed as embodied in a machine for setting the socket members of snap fasteners, but for convenience the parts handled by the machine will be hereinafter referred to simply as fasteners.

It is an'important object of this invention to devise a simple and reliable mechanism for sorting or arranging the fasteners properly for delivery to the setting or driving mechanism.

. In machines designed to set fasteners some distance inwardly from the edge of the work, as for example, on a rug,'curtain, or the like,

the increased width of throat required to permit the introduction of the work increases the diificulty of transferring the fasteners to the setting point with the desired speed and certainty. The present invention deals with this problem and it aims to devise a mechanism which will eifect such a transfer rapidly and smoothly, regardless of the distance and will reduce to a minimum the danger of breakage of the'machine parts; p

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be I particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. i

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a portion of a fastener settingmachine constructed in accordance with th1s inven- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a Geneva drive which is used in'the machine n Fig. 3 is a view, partly in front elevationv and partly in cross-section, showing tliehopper and associated parts of the fastener sorting mechanism of the machine;

Figs. and 5 are perspective and plan views, respectively, of the fasteners which the present machine is particularly designed tohandle;

Fig.6 is a cross-sectional view substantlally so on the line 6 6, Fig. 3; a

a, 1926. Serial in. 153,549.

' Fig. 10 is a plan view of a removable plate for the conveyor mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the driver or plunger which sets the fasteners and the operating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fastener hopper and associated parts;

, Fig. 13 is a transverse, cross-sectional View through the screw conveyor;

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of a section of the raceway for the fasteners;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the raceway section shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view on the line 1616, Fig.15;

Fig.1? is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a modified form' of fastener conveyor and the setting mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the conveying mechanism shown in Fig. 17; and Y Fig. 19 is a plan View of a portion. of the conveying and setting mechanism shown in Fig. 17; 5

The machine shown comprises a. ho per for sorting the fasteners, a racewa to w hich conveyor which transfers the fasteners from the raceway to the setting point, and a mechanism for setting or driving the fasteners delivered to it. The detailed description of the .the sorted fasteners are delive're a screw prongs are forced through the material and then clinched.

The mechanism for sorting or arranging the fasteners properly for.the setting operation comprises a hopper which includes a rotary bowl 4,"Figs. 3 and 12, secured fast on an inclined shaft 5. This shaft is mounted in a bracket 6 which forms the bottom of the hopper. Secured to the lower'edge of the bowl 4 is a ring 7 of angular cross-sectional shape, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 12, which forms, to all intents and purposes, a part of the bowl and rests on the upper surface of the hopper bottom or bracket 6. A series of we s 8, Fig. 12, connects the wall of the bowl with the central sleeve 9 in which the shaft 5 is secured, these webswbeing separated by wide apertures or spaces through which the fasteners can be dumped into the hopper.

The fasteners fall by gravity 'a ainst the lower wall of the hopper and tum 1e around freely as the bowl 4 is rotated slowly.

In order to permit the escape of the fasteners from the hop er, the ring 7 is provided with a series of passages or guideways 10 of suitable dimensions to permit the fasteners to pass freely through them. It is desirable to' deliver the fasteners to the setting mechanism with theirprongs pointing up wardly, and for the urpose of permitting the passage of those asteners positioned in this manner and rejecting those which are wrong side up, each passage 10 is provided with a stop in the form of a in 12, Fi 12, which pro ects from the top ownward y toward the bottom of each guideway. The end of each pin, however, is spaced 'far enough from the bottom ofthe guidewa to permit the body 2 of a fastener to pass reely under 1t, the pron s 3 dodging the pin. The pin however, e ectually prevents the passage of any fastener in an inverted position; that is, with its prongs pointing downwardly.

As the hopper rotates slowly in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 3, fasteners which are positioned right side up slide into the guideways 10 and past the pins 12, their complete passage through the guideways, however, eing blocked by a flan e projecting upwardly from the margin 0 the hopper bottom 6 until they have been carried around past the end-of this flange at approximatel 1 the point 13, Fig. 3. Those fasteners whic -.part of the raceway is formed in have passed the pins 12 can then slide into the upper section 14' of the raceway. This I t e'right hand margin, Figs. 3 and 6, of the .hopper bottom 6, and the fasteners are prevented from umping out of this raceway by an oyerlymg guard or plate 15. The upper section 14 of the raceway termmates ust below the middle, of the hopper bowl at the point 16, Figs. 3' and 12. In order to conduct the fasteners from this race way to the conveying mechanism, another includes a spring ,a quarter revolution for ea guides 3434,

the lowermost fastener slides forward on to the screw 27, its motion nel section, and an upper plate-like member 20 closing the groove or channel in the lower member, the channel being deep enough to permit the fasteners to slide freely through the raceway. One side wall of the lower member 18 is cut away for some distance to provide aslot 21 whichpermits inspection of the fasteners as they slide through the raceway so that if they should become jammed, that fact can easily be determined. It also permits the introduction of an implement to release a jammed fastener.

This removable raceway section is releasably secured to the upper raceway section 14 by means of aslidable latch or clip) which iece 22, carried y a U- shaped slide 23 which embraces the raceway and is held thereon by a screw 24. The upper end of the spring 22 is curved to engage a groove or socket25, Fig. 12, formed in the lower side near the end of the upper raceway. Normally this clip or latch is in the position shown in Fig. 1 where it holds the lower raceway section 17 in its operative position. By sliding the latch 22 downwardly along the raceway, as shown in Fig). .15, theremovable raceway section 17 may e released from the upper section 14-and it can then be taken out of themachine. 1

For the purpose of transferring the fasteners from the lower end of the raceway to the setting point, a conveyor is providedwh ch comprises a screw 27, preferably havmg square threads, and these threads are spaced apart by a sufficient. distance to accommodate fasteners between them. The screw-is supported horizontally by a driving shaft 28 at one end,iits opposite end'resting in a socket formedpin the upper part of a bearing bracket 30. It is driven intermittently by a Geneva movement which includes a Geneva wheel 31 fast on the shaft 28 and a Geneva driver 32 ter shaft is equi ped with a pulley 34 so that itmay'be belte to any convenient source of power. This mechanism gives the screw 27 0 complete revolution of the main shaft 33.

Cooperating with Figs. 7 and 13, which the entire length of the screw and are located above it, the guides being separated to rothe screw 27- are two extend vide astraight slot or passage 19 for the asteners, this slot leading from the lower enclof the raceway 17' to the setting-mechanism. As 2 1n the raceway 17 is arrested part1 by engagement with-one of the threads 0 the screw and partly by a spring pressed dog 35, Figs. 7 and 8, which preventsthe fastener from overrun'ning. A

fastener so positioned is advanced at each quarter revolution of the screw by a distance equal to the space between the threads of the screw, so that as soon as the machine has made it will overlie the fasteners as they are trans-.

ferred by the conveying screw 27. At its end adjacent to the raceway this plate is slotted to provide a central tongue 38, Fig. 10, the free end of which will have considerable resiliency. If for any reason a fastener should be caught on a thread, of the'screw as-the fastener emerges from the raceway, such a fastener wouldsimply be pressed upwardly against the tongue which would spring sulfioiently to prevent breakage of any of the parts. The plate 37 has a dovetail connection with the guides 34-34 so that it can be removed by an endwise movement. It will be observed that the guides 34-34 hold the fasteners on the screw where they are supported by it as they travel from the lower end of the raceway to the setting mechanism.

The setting mechanism for the machine is best shown in Figs. 1 and 11, and comprises a driver or plunger 36 normally held down by a spring 40 and arranged to be given its upwardYor driving stroke'by means of apam 41 acting on a roll 42 which is carried by the driver 36. The stroke so imparted to the driver carries the fastener suryorted on its upper end upwardly against an nvil 43 which is slidably mounted in the overhanging head 44' of the machine but is held down by a strong spiral spring 45. The tension of this spring can be adjusted by a screw 46.

7 Preferably the machine is driven through a single revolution clutch which is controlled.

by a foot treadle, knee lever, or thelike, so

that when the operatorplaces the work in the machine, and steps on the treadle, the

machine will make one complete cycle, driving a single fastening, and will then stop automatically. 7,

As shown in Figs. 1 and 12, the hopper is driven from the main shaft by a belt 48 driven from a combined pulley and hand wheel 50 on the main shaft 33 and driving a pulley 51 fast on the hopper shaft 5.

In order .to prevent breakage of the arts in case the screw 27 becomes jamme for any reason, an automatically releasable connection is provided inthe driving mechanism for this screw. As shown in Fig. 1, this mechanism comprises a collar 52 carrying pins 53 53 which project loosely into holes formed in the solid portion of the screw near its right-hand end. This collar also is provided witha V-shaped notch 54 to receive a similarly shaped projection 55 extending from a second collar 56 which lies immediatel beside the collar 52. An extension 57 of the shaft 28 projects loosely through both collars'and is encircled by a spring 58 which presses the collar 56 against the collar 52, the spring being backed up by a washer and a nut 60 threaded on to the end ofthe shaft 57. If the screw 27fshould encounter any abnormal resistance to its rotative movement, or be subjected to any severe overload, the projection 55 would slip out of the notch 54, thus releasing or interrupting the driving connection between the two parts 56 and 52. This release permits the shaft 28 to revolve without driving the screw. Any other suitable mechanism'of this type may, however, be substituted for that shown.

It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the machine has a wide or deep throat so that fasteners can be inserted in a rug, curtain, or the like, well back from its edge, as frequentl is desirable. ,At'the same fime the difliculties introduced by the fact that such a throat construction necessitates the feeding or transfer of the fasteners for a considerable distance beyond the point to which they are fed by gravity, is efiectually mechanism works positively and at the saine time very smoothly. The necessity for long stroke reciprocating plungers or the like,

therefore, is avoided, and the difliculties incidental to their use, and the factthat they must be operated at relatively high speeds in order to give the desired output, also are avoided.

It will be understood that the movements of the screw .27 and the driver or plunger 36 of the setting mechanism are so timed that in each cycle of operations of the machine the screw will first deliver a fastener to the driver and then thb driver will be operated to drive or set the fastener in the work, the screw in the meantime remaining stationary. Due to the fact, however, that the fastener transferring movement which takes place in each cycle is very short, the portion of the cycle required to effect this movement iscorrespondmgly short, and, the machine can,

therefore, be operated at relatively high speeds while still operating smoothly and positively.

type'of fastener. It is contemplated, however, that mechanisms embodying the essential features of thisinvention can also-be used to advantage in handling other types of fasteners. In feeding some kinds of fasteners, the fact that the walls of the slot or passage 19 through which the fasteners are uided is some little distance above the surface of the screw 27, ma be objectionable in tending to cause the asteners to become cramped or 'ammed between the screw and the guides. 11 such cases, therefore, we pre fer to use the construction shown in Figs. 17, 18 and 19. Referring to these figures it will be observed that the threads of the screw 27' are slotted transversely to the axis of the screw so that each thread is, in effect, composed of a series of teeth.62. Theguides 34-34 which cooperate with the screw are made of relatively thick stock and their lower surfaces are milled to accommodate the teeth 62. This construction provides projections or teeth 63 on the guides 34 which enter the slots that separate the teeth 62 of the screw 27, the teeth 63 extending down close to the bottoms of the slots, as shown in Fig. 18. The two guides 3'34' are spaced apart to provide a passage or slot 19 between them through which the fasteners 64 are advanced or fed by the screw 27. The particular type of fastener shown in Figs. 17 1 8 and 19 has a relatively large head with a reduced shank, and accordingly, the guid- 1ng surfaces of the parts 34' 34 are shaped to accommodate this particular fastener. If the fastener were of a different shape it, might be necessary or desirable to make the guldmg surfaces of the parts 34 of a somewhat difi'erent shape.

The slotted and toothed construction of the guides 34 and the threads of the screw 27 prevent any possibility of fasteners becoming jammed between the screw and the guides, and it enables the screw to feed fasteners which could not be handled by the construction previously described. For example ver thin fastener members, such as soclret p ates, or washers, can be fed successfully with the mechanism shown in Figs. 17 l8 and 19.

While I have herein shown and described the best embodiments of my invention that I have so far devised, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or sccipe thereof.

aving thus described my invention, What I desire to claim as new is: r

1. In a machine for handling fasteners, a mechanism for transferring fasteners com pristiig a screw conveyor having its threads slot transversely to the axis thereof, and guiding means for said fasteners having pro- ]eCt10I1S extending into the slots in said threads. r

2. In a machine for handling fasteners, a mechanlsm for transferring fasteners com- PIISlDg a screw having-threads spaced apart axially to receive fasteners between them, said threads being slotted transversely to the axis of the screw, guiding means associated with said screw and having'a slot extendinglongitudinally of the screw, through which slot said fasteners are propelled by the screw, said guiding means having projections extending into the slots in said threads, and mechanism'for rotating said screw.

3. In a machine for setting fasteners, the

ries of fasteners supported on said screw, and

means for imparting a step by step rotative movement to said screw.

4. In a machine for setting fasteners, the combination of setting means, a screw for delivering fasteners to said means, guides associated with said screw for guiding the fasteners longitudinally thereof, said screw being hollow, a driving shaft extending into said screw, driving connections between said shaft and said screw including means for automatically interrupting the driving relationship under abnormal resistance to the rotation of the screw, and means for giving said shaft a step b step rotative movement.

5. In a macfli type having a head with one or more projections extending from one side of said head transversely to the plane of the head, the combination of a hopper for holding a supply of said fasteners, an inclined raceway to which the fasteners are delivered by said hopper with the heads of the fasteners resting on the raceway, mechanismfor setting said fasteners, a screw for receiving said fasteners fromsaid raceway and delivering them to said setting mechanism, guides associated with said screw for guiding the fasteners longitudinally thereof while the heads of said fasteners rest on said screw, and means opcrating in timed relationship to the operation of said setting mechanism for giving said screw 2. step y step rotative movement to cause it to deliver a single fastener tosaid setting mechanism in each cycle of operations of said machine. p

6. In a machine forsetting fasteners of the type having'a head with one or more projections extending from one side of said head transversely to the plane of the head, the combination of ahopper for holding a supply ofsaid fasteners, an inclined racewa to which the fasteners are slidabl delivere by ne for setting fasteners of the.

said hopper with the heads 0 the fasteners resting on the raceway, mechanism for setting said fasteners, a screw'to which said raceway conveys said fasteners by gravity, means (35) at the discharge end of the raceway for pos1tioning the lowermost fastener for trans fer to said screw, said screw serving to deliver fasteners so received to said setting mechanism, and means operating in timed relationship to the operation of said setting mechanism for rotating said screw to cause it to deliver a single fastener to said setting mechanism-in each cycle of'operations of the machine.

7 In a machine for attaching snap fastener members, a setting means, a chute for snap fastener members terminating at a substantial distance from said setting means, a guiding means, a rotary screw conveyor located in the space between the settin means and the end of the chute and opera le to impel the fastener members from the end of the chute and deliver them one at a time directly to thesetting means, a shaft upon which said screw conveyor is mounted, and a clutch mechanism located between the shaft and the conveyor, said clutch mechanism being constructed and arranged to permit relative movement between the screw conveyor and the said shaft if the said conveyor becomes jammed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EARLE M. CROSBY. 

